484 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



it stands within an incli of the tops of the glass tubes, care being taken 

 to have the bar nearly horizontal. A line passing over the tops of the 

 columns of the fluid in the two tubes, when the fluid has come to rest 

 is level. Sometimes horizontal sliding sights are set on the tubes. Each 

 sight is set even, with the top of the column of fluid in its tube after 

 the fluid has come to rest. The sighting is then done over these sights. 

 With these home-made devices there must go also a home-made level- 

 ing rod, the making of which will vary with the notions of the maker. 



THE WORK OF PRACTICAL DRAINAGE. 



Where the amount of tiling to be done ranges from a single line of 

 tile to a system draining a moderate area, with reasonable facilities for 

 an outlet, and with a fair fall, it is entirely practical for the farmer to 

 do his own draining. On the other hand, when the area to be drained is 

 large and especially when the fall must of necessity be very slight, it is 

 usually better to place the work in the hands of a practical drainage 

 engineer. 



In any case the work should be taken up about as outlined below. 



LOCATING THE OUTLET. 



The first thing to be done is to locate the point of outlet somewhat 

 as previously indicated. See page 7. 



LAYING OUT THE DRAIN — GRADE STAKES. 



Beginning at the outlet the main line of the system should be estab- 

 lished by driving stakes at intervals of fifty feet. 



These stakes should be about one inch by one and one-half inch, ten 

 inches long and pointed. In clay soils eight inches is long enough, while 

 in the looser soils such as mucks, it may be necessary to have them 

 from twelve to fifteen inches long. They should be driven in straight 

 lines about two inches back from the intended edge of the ditch. They 

 should all be driven on the same side of the ditch at least this shouM 

 be true for any one section of the drain. They should be driven so that 

 the tops stand about one inch above the ground in each case, and to 

 secure uniformity in height it is a good plan to carry a small piece of 

 yg-inch board, six inches, by twelve inches, and to lay this board on the 

 ground next to the stake and drive the stake until its top shall stand 

 just even with the upper surface of the board.. In this way the effects 

 of the little inequalities in the soil are overcome. These stakes should 

 be driven so that their greatest width stands parallel with the edge of 

 the drain. 



FINDERS. 



Three or four inches back from each grade stake should be driven 

 another stake commonly called a finder. This stake should be eighteen 

 inches to two feet long, seven-eighths inch thick, and two to three inches 

 wide, and should be driven from four to six inches into the ground. 



